Jones disclosed the Barnes payments late Wednesday afternoon while responding to questions seeking clarification of the statement he issued on Tuesday revealing that he had received $17,300 for unused vacation days.

In that statement, Jones said his payment - which he said he is returning to the city - was based on the precedence “set when former mayors received such payments.”

Jones’ statement identified only one of those former mayors, his predecessor, Jose “Joey” Torres who took payments of $74,000 and $3,169 for unused leave days.

But during an interview with Paterson Press on Wednesday afternoon Jones disclosed that Barnes also had taken money for unused days.

Barnes lost his re-election bid in 2002 while facing a federal corruption indictment and pleaded guilty right after he left office. Barnes died a little more than a year ago after serving federal prison time.

Jones said his administration’s review of the situation has found no policy or ordinance stipulating that the mayor or other elected officials could get such payments.

Apparently, Jones said, city finance officials had been using provisions in a labor contract for white-collar supervisors as the “default” basis for those payments.

“We’re still looking into all this,” Jones said. “We’re finding a lot of interesting stuff.”

Not everyone who held Paterson’s top job took payments for unused vacation days. At least that’s what former mayors Lawrence “Pat” Kramer and Bill Pascrell Jr. are saying.

“I do not know whether it’s legal, but I can honestly tell you it absolutely never was taken advantage of in all my years in office,” Kramer said.

Pascrell, who is now a congressman, said neither he nor his immediate predecessors “took such checks.”

“What happened after me, I can’t tell you,” Pascrell said. “Public office is not a feeding trough for public officials,” Pascrell added.

The congressman said he didn’t need a policy to tell him not to take payments for unused vacation time. “People know what’s right and what’s wrong,” said Pascrell. “That’s part of the job of leadership.”

In addition to Jones’ plan to return the $17,300 to the city, Torres said he is refunding the $3,169, because he says he receive it in error. But Torres says he does not plan to pay back the $74,000, despite a pending city council resolution calling on him to do so.Jones defeated Torres in the 2010 mayoral race and they are both candidates in the crowded field for this year’s election.

State officials have said that it’s inappropriate for elected officials to take money for unused sick and vacation days.

Jones disclosed the Barnes payments late Wednesday afternoon while responding to questions seeking clarification of the statement he issued on Tuesday revealing that he had received $17,300 for unused vacation days.

In that statement, Jones said his payment - which he said he is returning to the city - was based on the precedence “set when former mayors received such payments.”

Jones’ statement identified only one of those former mayors, his predecessor, Jose “Joey” Torres who took payments of $74,000 and $3,169 for unused leave days.

But during an interview with Paterson Press on Wednesday afternoon Jones disclosed that Barnes also had taken money for unused days.

Barnes lost his re-election bid in 2002 while facing a federal corruption indictment and pleaded guilty right after he left office. Barnes died a little more than a year ago after serving federal prison time.

Jones said his administration’s review of the situation has found no policy or ordinance stipulating that the mayor or other elected officials could get such payments.

Apparently, Jones said, city finance officials had been using provisions in a labor contract for white-collar supervisors as the “default” basis for those payments.

“We’re still looking into all this,” Jones said. “We’re finding a lot of interesting stuff.”

Not everyone who held Paterson’s top job took payments for unused vacation days. At least that’s what former mayors Lawrence “Pat” Kramer and Bill Pascrell Jr. are saying.

“I do not know whether it’s legal, but I can honestly tell you it absolutely never was taken advantage of in all my years in office,” Kramer said.

Pascrell, who is now a congressman, said neither he nor his immediate predecessors “took such checks.”

“What happened after me, I can’t tell you,” Pascrell said. “Public office is not a feeding trough for public officials,” Pascrell added.

The congressman said he didn’t need a policy to tell him not to take payments for unused vacation time. “People know what’s right and what’s wrong,” said Pascrell. “That’s part of the job of leadership.”

In addition to Jones’ plan to return the $17,300 to the city, Torres said he is refunding the $3,169, because he says he receive it in error. But Torres says he does not plan to pay back the $74,000, despite a pending city council resolution calling on him to do so.Jones defeated Torres in the 2010 mayoral race and they are both candidates in the crowded field for this year’s election.

State officials have said that it’s inappropriate for elected officials to take money for unused sick and vacation days.